The idea behind creating a great idea for an alternative wedding cake is to think of a desert or food you love and then amplify it to create something spectacular. I will take you through two or three of my favourites and hopefully it will leave you feeling inspired!

Many people like the idea of having fruit cake at their wedding. Well if you don’t like cake then why not just have the fruit part. Fruit salad ‘wedding cakes’ are very popular in the summer months as it is a perfect light and refreshing dish. As I said earlier it is not just about the type of desert your have, it is about how spectacular you make it. The picture on the right is a fantastic example of how fruit salad can be presented to be quiet spectacular!

Another take on a tradition cake is cheese cake. No I’m not talking about the sweet American style cake, I’m talking about a cheese . . . cake. For those who love nothing more than a good cheese board then why not get your favourite cheeses and turn them into a magnificent three tiered cake!  As you can see from the image in can be quite a classy affair to have a wine and cheese session at your wedding meal. You can cater for a wide range of pallets with different cheese’s maybe cheddar for the children and blue cheese for those a bit more adventurous. Wine and champagne can be a perfect accompany to this desert.  Again this is an example of taking an average desert you would eat in restaurants and amplifying it until it matches the magnitude that is your wedding.

How about something nice, simple and a little bit fun. Chocolate fountains are becoming more and more popular at weddings, especially as they are tiered and resemble the shape of a wedding cake. This idea inserts a lot of fun into your wedding and I guarantee the children will absolutely love it!

Finally, you might not be a fan of cake but maybe you go potty over biscuits? I love this cake, it is a very elegant yet gigantic mountain of biscuits. I’m not sure how they cut it? But none the less it looks very impressive. The one thing I would love to know more about this cake, is how its core infrastructure is constructed, I can only imagine it has foundations and frames made of building biscuits.

I hope you found some of these examples both creative and inspirational. Remember it’s not unusual for people not to want a traditional wedding cake, it is your wedding so get a desert that represents you. The piece of advice which I hope sticks with you is that it is not about what the desert is made out of, but how it is presented and amplified to match the magnitude of the wedding.

To see what catering options are avaliable to you in Newbury please follow this link. Wedding caterers in Newbury.

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The best man has been chosen due to his dedication to the groom, his ability to stand out above the other friends as someone who has been there throughout the thick and thin. This is the time for the best man to be the groom’s ultimate post to be leant on.

The best man has two of the obvious jobs to complete, firstly (and maybe most importantly) the Stagg do, secondly he must protect the rings with his life and hold on to them until the wedding day. The Best man is responsible for organising the ENTIRE Stagg do. This includes inviting the relevant friends (father of groom and father of the bride are optional) organising the activities, generally making sure everyone enjoys themselves and of course making sure the groom gets back in one piece. Other duties are less glamorous and more personal assistant-ish.

The Best man is responsible for helping the groom complete his duties; this can include chauffeuring him around town while he picks up bits for the wedding and completes errands. The groom is bound to get stressed and run into several little hic-ups, as best man your duty is to smooth out these bumps in the road and keep the Groom moving onwards and upwards.

An unsaid rule is that the best man helps the Groom with his pre-wedding jitters. Not many people know that Grooms also have jitters; this is because there is a strict rule that the best man keeps this a secret!

On the actual wedding day the best man will need to be the grooms eyes and ears and really make sure the wedding goes without a hitch. At the ceremony the best man needs to make sure everyone has arrived and is seated, that the bride is on her way and most importantly needs to keep the groom calm. After the ceremony the bride and groom normally go straight from having pictures taken to the reception venue. The best man needs to make sure that all the guests get to the venue okay and know how the rest of the day is going to pan out. For example he will need to make sure that Auntie Hilda knows that when she gets to the venue she will have a quick drink in the lobby, write something in the guest book, greet the newlyweds and then take a seat at the correct table. Not the most glamorous job but none the less necessary.

The Best man is a vital keystone in the wedding and although there are some fun duties that come along with the position, there is also a more serious side. If you are about to become a best man I hope this has helped to shape you to become the ‘best’ Best Man you can be!

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1.    Have ‘Me’ Time
I see so many brides who dedicate their life to organising their wedding. They wake up, work, organise wedding in their lunch break, work, get home, more wedding planning, dinner, more wedding planning, bed and then repeat. If this sounds like your schedule then STOP! When you eat, sleep and breath weddings you eventually get sick of them, you can have too much of a good thing. Make sure that you take an hour out of your day to relax, have a meal out with a friend, pamper yourself, go for a walk, or listen to music. Anything that you enjoy doing that isn’t linked to your wedding. This will help you unwind, clear you thoughts and keep your enthusiasm for wedding planning fresh.

2.    Massage
It is true, massages can be one of the most relaxing things to do to help you de-stress. When we are stressed we naturally tense up across the shoulders, some people also struggle with skin issues when the get stressed. On your wedding day you want to look nice, relaxed and fresh!

3.    Take a Break
The week before your wedding why not take a short break to get away with your fiancé or your friends. If you insist on being a stress head before your wedding, why not organise it so all plans are in place a few days before the wedding. This will allow you time to have a weekend break doing something you love. When you return you will have a healthy glow about yourself and a natural smile.

4.    Cut out Fatty Foods
Now I know loads of people turn to comfort eating when they are stressed but that can actually make you feel worse. Fatty foods often leave you feeling heavy and depressed. They slow down your digestive system and make everything inside you a little bit off. By cutting these out and replacing with exercise your body will be physically fit to handle your stress!

5.    Friends
If you are a fan of the TV show you will know that Phoebe’s wedding day is completely ruined by snow. The band can’t get to the venue and the vicar gets stuck in the snow. However the day goes ahead and it’s still magical because all her friends chip in to help. You might be surprised about how many of your friends would love to help you out. It makes them feel like they are part of the day and they get to spend more time with you in the build up to the wedding. Don’t be afraid to ask your friends for their help, call in favors don’t take on the entire wedding by yourself.

Hopefully you have found these tips useful. Organising a wedding can be stressful but as long as you know how to fight against it then you can enjoy the build up to the best day of your life.

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Grazing
This is a new style of buffeting. Although it does rather sound like feeding gazelles in a field it is actually a more social take on traditional wedding dinning methods. Many people are finding that when you allocate people a table for a three course meal you are limiting the amount of interaction they are having with other guests. Not to mention the nightmare of creating a seating plan, who does auntie May sit next to? Do you keep families together on tables or mix everyone up to spark new friendships? If these are all things that bother you then try this technique instead. The idea is to set up several buffet stations dotted around the room. Keep the food simple finger food in a buffet format. This encourages people to explore the room in search of new food making new acquaintances along the way.

Let them eat cake!
Having an outrageous cake is becoming very fashionable. Out the window with traditional styles and hello vibrant colours and elaborate icing. I think is possibly my favourite growing trend. The eating of the cake is not so important, it is about the look and feel or the cake which let’s be honest sits in the room looking stunning and that’s about all. Brides are designing their cakes to fit in with the theme of the wedding and compliment the colours used i.e. red and black.

Cocktail bars
Welcome to the reception, would you like a drink? Well there has been a massive increase in letting the guests make their own! Instead of a traditional regular bar, many brides are setting up cocktail stations. These are areas equipped with liquors’, fruit juices and mixers and occasionally a cocktail waiter to assist your guests and show off every now and then.

Supporting good causes
As you get married is nice to appreciate how lucky you are. Many couples are now involving charities and good causes amongst their wedding day. For example instead of wedding gifts many people chose to donate money to a charity of choice. Instead of buying wedding favours for all your guests why not donate the money to charity and put a little thank-you note in your guest favour box. This is a great way to raise awareness and support for charities you feel close to.

These are just a few growing trends I have noticed recently in the wedding industry. I will keep you posted with more things I see and like at other peoples weddings. When organising a wedding it is always good to read about other people’s ideas and experiences to then come up with your own concepts! If you would like to see some of the catering available in Newbury and the Berkshire area please follow this link, Wedding Catering Newbury.

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This is the second half of a blog post titled Wedding Etiquette. I wanted to help the people who may be attending a wedding soon, maybe for the first time, and need a little bit of advice on what to do at a wedding. We have all been there once or twice at a wedding where you don’t know how much to spend on a gift, or when to stand for the hymens, where to stand and so on. Most of the time brides and grooms are very good at informing their guests exactly what’s going on and how the day is going to pan out. However there are occasions where you have questions that you might be too embarrassed to ask. Hopefully some of the advice in this post will help you out! Enjoy!

How to behave at the wedding

Sometimes it is a little difficult knowing exactly how to behave at a wedding. Obviously you know you have to try to make polite conversation with people, but who? It is good to chat to the people on your table at the meal but it is also a good idea to speak to the bride and groom and their parents. It is polite to thank the parents of the bride before you leave as well as the bride and groom as they are likely to have paid towards it. Also try to speak to all of the people that you know, even if you just say a few words. However, do not feel that you have to buy everyone you know a drink, because that could be very expensive but it is nice to make sure the bride and groom have one as they are often left out when it comes to drinks. Make sure that you have a good time as the bride and groom would want that. They have invited guests because they want to celebrate with them and all have fun together. Do not drink too much alcohol though as no one enjoys drunks at a wedding.

When to arrive and leave

It can be difficult knowing what time to arrive and leave a wedding. It is good idea to get to the ceremony a bit early so that you allow yourself enough time to find a parking space and get settled. If you are too early it will not matter as you can just wait outside but if you are late you will disturb the proceedings and spoil things for everyone. Timing your exit can be difficult as well. If you are staying for the reception then it is polite to wait outside the venue that the ceremony has been held at until you are instructed to go to the reception. If you are not staying then this is the time to make an exit. After the reception, there is normally a celebration and it is polite to stay for this. There may be a time gap where you can go and change your clothes but guests would be expected to return after this. If you are old, have a long way to travel or have young children then you can politely leave early but everyone else should wait until the bride and groom have made their exit before they leave.

What to do afterwards

As you leave it is polite to thank the bridal party and then when you return home it is good to write to the hosts and thank them for their hospitality. This is especially important if they have put you up for the night. It is a lovely gesture anyway and if your letter can reach them before the thank you letter for your gift reaches you, then that is even better. It is great to stay in touch with the couple after the wedding, once their honeymoon is over and share the photographs that you have taken with them. If they are good friends or close family then it is also nice to send them a wedding anniversary card and mention a special moment that you remember from the big day. It might be a nice occasion to visit near the date and show them the photos that you took on the big day as well. As a wedding guest you are asked to provide the couple with love and support and if they are close to you then it is great if you can do this by talking about their wedding and reminding them of the big day and why they made that commitment to each other.

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What to wear to a wedding?

Clothing for weddings tends to be very traditional and if you are part of the bridal party then it is very much the bride and grooms decision as to what you will need to wear. However, most guests are left to choose whatever they like. It is important to make sure that you are wearing something appropriate and this may not be as easy as it sounds. Although there are standard wedding clothes, depending on the venue, the time of day and the class of the family the attire will be different. In some weddings all men wear tails, whereas in others, just the bridal party do. The women have a similar problem with some weddings needing designer wear whereas others require something far less formal. Do you need to wear a hat? Most weddings do not require you to wear a hat although it is traditional for the ladies to do so. The best thing to do is to speak to the bride or her parents about what they expect their guests to be wearing so that you can get or hire something appropriate. You may feel that you should not have to follow their requirements but you may feel out of place if you do not fit in with the rest of the guests.

What gifts to buy and how much to spend?

Most couples will provide a gift list with their wedding invitation and presents nowadays are bought online and there is no need to take one with you to the ceremony. Some people are more old fashioned and would rather give a list on request which is a far more polite way of doing things. The list should contain a selection of items at different price ranges so that guests do not feel they have to spend a lot of money, however sometimes everything can be rather pricey. It can be embarrassing if there is nothing you can afford but consider sharing a gift with someone else – maybe a friend or relative who is also going to the wedding may go halves with you on a gift. Do not feel you have to pay more than you can afford as the bride and groom would not want you to go bankrupt just to get them a gift. Some couples ask for money, especially those that have already moved in together or are not on their first marriage. This can be tricky as you have to decide how much to spend, but just do what you can afford as they should be grateful for anything.

In the second part of this blog I will be covering, ‘How to behave at the wedding’, ‘When to arrive and leave’ and ‘What to do after the wedding’.

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With a wedding day fast approaching there is only one thing on every woman’s mind . . . shoes! White shoes, red shoes, high shoes, flat shoes, there are hundreds of different shoes you can choose from to wear to a wedding. Whether you are a bride, a bridesmaid, a mother, mother-in-law or just a guest, a wedding is the ideal time to show off your best shoes. Obviously it goes without saying that you have to buy a new pair of shoes for a wedding; you can’t be seen in something you have already worn before! So far this all sounds very expensive, so here are a few ways to cut the cost of glitzy wedding shoes.

Wedding Sandals
For those hot summer weddings, who wants to be wearing clammy hot uncomfortable shoes! Sandals are a great light and cheap way to have a glamorous look on a hot summer’s day. The sandals in the picture are available from Amazon and come in red, black and white so will match any outfit you decide to wear. They are high-heeled to give you extra height that regular sandals don’t. They also have an elegant bow round the back of the ankle.

Get a Bargin!
If you look hard enough you will find reduced shoes. Now I’m not saying pop down to Primark for a cheap bargin (although that could be an option) I mean keep your eyes out for discount designer shoes. For example here is a pair of Jane Shilton shoes that have been discounted on Amazon by 50%!

Wedding Pumps
Pumps have been in fashion for the past year and there have been some recent releases of wedding additions of these shoes. These are a great way of cutting the cost down but keeping the glamorous look. Lots of women even class pumps as the comfiest shoes available. It also gives you the freedom to get your boogie on at the reception without twisting you ankle!

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The Bride’s family traditionally plans the engagement party but we live in modern times so of course the groom and his family can have equal input. It is a great place for the families to meet in a relaxed fun atmosphere. Engagement parties normally include some food, lots of drinks and involve close families and friends of both the bride and groom. Occasionally this type of format can result in people congregating in cliques and not mingling properly. Here are a few tips to prevent that from happening.

1. “Meet the Happy Couple”

This take on trivial pursuit allows people to get to know the happycouple in more detail and others to boast about how well they know them. Divide the room into teams, you can either do this in groups such as ‘the grooms family’ ‘the bridesmaids’ ‘the friends’ ect. Or you can randomize the groups to get a mixture of people. Questions normally run along the lines of ‘where did the happy couple meet’, ‘how long did it take for the bride to say yes’ or ‘what embarrassing thing happened to the groom on his stag night’ no, sorry scrap that last one, it’s probably best that remains a secret!

2. “Search and Find”

This is a game that is used in most Universities during fresher weeks and can be just as effective at an engagement party. Each guest gets a card with a list of questions. These questions go along the line of ‘Find someone who’s last name begins with the same letter as your first’ or find someone with the same star sign as you’. This encourages mingling of different groups. The idea is that the bride’s parents will end up talking to the grooms work friends ect.

3. “Guess the wine”

This game is based on the office water cooler theory. When people congregate around something, they chat! Place a few bottles of wine in a certain area of the party and remove all the labels (It doesn’t have to be wine it can be anything you fancy). Tell guests that throughout the night they must sample the wine and right down where they think it is from. The person who gets it right or is the closest wins a bottle! The idea is people with gather in this area to try the drink and end up talking to one another with the wine as something in common i.e. ‘Oooh its fruity isn’t it?’

Organizing participant types of activities in your engagement will act as a great ice breaker. This will enable the guests to your engagement party to have more fun. Your guests will be better able to mingle and chat with one another once the have become better acquainted and comfortable around one another.

You can organize other activities of course involving teams and what not. Just be sure that you know your guests well enough not to put them in uncomfortable positions through any activities that you decide to do. You should be able to have fun and enjoy a great and memorable engagement party for you and your guests.

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You can take photographs of everybody at your wedding as they arrive one by one, this is similar to a high school homecoming or prom or even a corporate Christmas party. Be sure that these pictures are fun and the people aren’t stiff or appear too posed, photographs are usually much more interesting if they look natural and not planned or staged. You can even take such photos using a Polaroid camera, this is not only fun, but immediately results in the pictures you took. If you prefer to take higher quality pictures, you may opt for a quality digital camera instead.

You can also take instant photographs in order to add them to your memory book or scrapbook and preserve your wedding memories in time. Photographs taken during this time can also be gifted to the bride and groom through the use of memory books. If you do happen to use a Polaroid camera to take the photographs of those in attendance, you can have the people in the photo sign the pictures taken by the Polaroid camera.

Many brides usually like to use disposable cameras at the reception table and this can be a great way to capture the moment where everybody is having fun and your table guests are at their most natural state. The photos taken during the reception can be placed in the wedding album for the newlyweds

You can also take unique photos by capturing the bride and groom at different stages during the wedding. The photos can also include pictures of the bride and groom during different stages of their lives such as first birth day, first bike ride, Christmas at sixteen, sweet sixteen, etc. Same goes for the groom. These photos can be used in a combined album of both the bride and groom as well as the reception slide show presentation.

You can also have a red carpet type of theme for the wedding entrance where each guest is welcomed as if they were Hollywood stars, this is sure to add some glamour to your wedding guest reception with the big entrance of course being the bride and groom.

Weddings are a great time to have fun and be creative in creating memories that will last you a lifetime. Enjoy your wedding and be sure to take a lot of pictures. It’s important to ensure that your guests are having a good time as well as you are also having the time of your life!

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Hedi Montag from the American reality TV show ‘The Hills’ is a prime suspect for the ‘Wearing too much Jewellery’ crime. The TV star married Spencer Prat in early 2009 in a fairy tale wedding which appeared in magazines all over the world as well as on TV. Hedi was wearing a Monique Lhuillier dress which was a stunning spectacle in itself. The bride then accessorized this amazing dress with over $1 million worth of Jewels. Even for a celebrity is this too much?

Now I know that not every bride will be able to wear millions of dollars worth of Jewels but my point of having too much bling still stands! My tip to brides is not to wear wedding jewellery for the sake of wearing jewellery; the attention should be on you and your dress not on anything else. However saying this I do believe that there is a beautiful middle ground.

Not all brides will want a swan like princess dress such as Heidi’s or Katie Price’s. Some brides like the simplicity of an elegant white dress which doesn’t scream attention but rather whispers sophistication. In these circumstances the delicate addition of the odd bit of Jewellery can make the difference between boring and beautiful!

If you are a bride in Berkshire and need help and advice on wedding Jewellery then I can not recommend Thatcham Jewellers enough. Thatcham Jewellers are an independent retail jewellers with a focus on helping you look your best on your wedding day. Their friendly approach means whatever questions or queries you have they will be more than delighted to help you out. Their Jewellery has the standards of old fashioned jewellery blended with a modern twist. They can help you with wedding accessories as well as jewellery gifts for ushers, bridesmaids, best men, the groom and the bride. Thatcham Jewellers are a great place to talk and discuss your wedding jewellery so please check out their website and pop in for a visit.

With these two extremes of not enough Jewellery and too much Jewellery what is right for you? Well, like any decision involved with your wedding day you need to find something that matches your personality. Let’s face it people like Hedi Montag and Katy price are extroverts, they live in a fairy tale world and only the biggest and best will do for these two divas (I feel their large amount of cosmetic surgery reinforces my point). We would expect nothing less than them to wear large amounts of over expensive jewellery to accompany their ridiculously expensive designer wedding dresses. Find what is suited for you, weather you are eccentric, laid back, shy, sophisticated or a bubbly kind of person there will be a style of dress, jewellery and even flowers that match your personality!

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